Quick acting vise



May 24, 1955 M. s. MAKHOLM QUICK ACTING vIsE May 24, 1955 M. s. MAKHOLM 2,708,854!

QUICK ACTING VISE Filed Feb. 9, 1 953 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 l I mi] ii y INVENTOR.

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QUICK ACTING VISE Filed Feb. 9, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 42156) 454( 5969i@ gi I/II l I 50j Sy- Wf 6%@ g 55? ya l? 651 am w21;

60 ATTRNEYS United States Patent O QUICK ACTING VISE Maurice S. Makholm, Racine, Wis.; Rose M. Makllolm,

Racine, Wis., administratrix of said Maurice S. Makholm, deceased, assignor to herself Application February 9, 1953, Serial No. 335,662

Claims. (Cl. 81-30) This invention relates to mechanical devices used in combination with machine tools, and in particular a vise having a stationary jaw and a movable jaw with a spline shaft coacting with a nut and threaded sleeve of the movable jaw whereby with the movable jaw released from the shaft it is adapted to be slid longitudinally of the shaft so that the jaw may be withdrawn for inserting material between the jaws aud then moved against the material in which position the shaft is rotated by a handle to clamp the material between the jaws.

The object of the invention is to provide a quick-set vise in which a movable jaw of the vise is free to be slid back and forth and wherein the jaw is adapted to be locked and released with a comparatively short turn of an operating lever.

Another object of the invention is to provide a vise which includes a sliding jaw that can be quickly actuated or moved to any desired position so that material can be readily clamped, the clamping movement of the jaw being accomplished by turning an operating lever in a clockwise direction until the vise jaws exert the selected tension or pressure against the material, and wherein the operating lever is turned in a counterclockwise direction when the jaw is to be released so that it can be slid to a different position, there being a means for limiting rotation of the operating lever.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a quick-set vise which includes lock pins that are adapted to hold segments of an interlocking sleeve and segments of an operating shaft in meshed position until the tensions of the interlocking sleeve and screw have been released, the lock pins being released when the operating lever is moved to its farthest counterclockwise position whereby the sliding jaw can be readily moved to any selected position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a quickset vise having a releasing element therein and in which the vise is of a simple and economical construction.

With these and other objects and advantages in view the invention embodies a vise having an elongated head or housing with a stationary jaw positioned at one end of the housing and with a movable jaw actuatedby a spline shaft and threaded sleeves and slidably mounted on the bed or housing and having an internally threaded hub in which said threaded sleeve of the spline shaft is positioned.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the improved quick-set vise.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section through the vise taken on line 2 2 of Figure l, with the parts shown on` an enlarged scale.

Figure 2a is a detail showing part of a longitudinal section through the vise and illustrating the locking and releasing pins with one of the pins in the position of locking the collar splined to the shaft to the threaded ICC sleeve also positioned on the shaft and threaded in the hub of the movable jaw.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the quick-set vise, but shows the shaft-operating handle in section.

Figure 4 is a plan view illustrating the base of the device, the bed and other parts being removed.

Figure 5 is a cross section through the base of the device taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 3 and showing the bed positioned above the base.

Figure 6 is a cross section through the handle mounting of the device taken on line 6 6 of Fig. 2.

Figure 7 is a cross section through the bearing sleeve of the spline shaft taken on line 7 7 of Fig. 2.

Figure 8 is a cross section through a locking collar for retaining the spline shaft in the frame of the device taken on line 8 8 of Fig. 2.

Figure 9 is a longitudinal section through the bearing bushing shown in Figs. 2 and 7.

Figure 10 is a detail illustrating a knob on that end of a handle which is pivotally mounted in a removable plug at the end of the shaft.

Figure 11 is a detail also showing the knob at the pivoted end of the handle and taken from a pointat right angles to that shown in Fig. 10.

Figure 12 is a cross section through the movable jaw of the device taken on line 12-12 of Fig. 2 and also showing the bed, base, and spline shaft.

Figure 13 is a cross section through the spline shaft and locking elements, similar to the section shown in Fig. 12 and in which locking lugs have been moved through an angle of substantially 30 degrees in a counterclockwise direction wherein the movable jaw is released from the spline shaft so that it is free to slide thereon.

Figure 14 is an end elevational view showing the locking collar that coacts with the spline shaft for rotating the movable jaw actuating sleeve.

Figure l5 is a longitudinal section taken on line 15 15 of Fig. 14 also showing the locking collar.

Figure 16 is an end elevational view of the threaded sleeve positioned between the collar shown in Figs. 14 and 15 and the hub of the movable jaw.

Figure 17 is a longitudinal section through the Sleeve and is taken on the line 17 17 in Fig. 16.

Figure 18 is a side elevational view of the threaded sleeve shown in Figs. 16 and 17.

Figure 19 is a side elevational view of a hub with mounting elements therefor, whereby the hub is connected to the movable jaw, part of the hub being broken away and shown in section.

Figure 20 is a longitudinal section through the hub, looking upwardly as indicated by the section line 20-20 in Figure 19 and illustrating the base by which the hub is connected to the movable jaw.

Figure 21 is'a detail illustrating a modification wherein the lugs forming the spline on the actuating shaft of the vise are positioned on a pitch thereby forming interrupted screw threads.

Figure 22 is a longitudinal section through a modified sleeve which corresponds to the threaded sleeve shown in Fig. 17, but which has inner elements positioned to form an interrupted internal screw thread for coaction with the corresponding elements of the modied shaft shown in Fig. 21.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts the improved quick-set vise of this invention includes a base 10, a bed 11 mounted on the base, a stationary jaw 12 positioned at one end of the bed, a movable jaw 13 slidably mounted on the bed, a hub 14 positioned beneath the bed and p secured to the movable jaw, a threaded sleeve 15 threaded 17 journaled in the base and on which the collar and threaded sleeve are slidably mounted, and a handle 18 pivotally mounted in a plug 19 and positioned to coact with a selected one of six equally spaced and radially disposed notches 20 in a socket 21 on the end of the shaft 17.

The base 10 is formed as illustrated in Figs. 3, 4, and 5, with side flanges 22 and 23 having raised bosses 24 and 25, respectively for bolts, lag screws or the like and also having key slots 26 and 27, for locating the base on a bench or machine tool. The base is also provided with side walls 28 and 29 and end walls 30 and 31.

The plate 11 forming the bed of the vise rests upon the upper ends of the end walls and is secured to the base with screws 33 that extend through openings 34, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The side walls 28 and 29 extend upwardly to points 35 and 36, respectively, whereby slots 37 and 38 are provided between the upper edges of the side walls and the bed plate 11.

The stationary jaw 12 is spaced from one end of the bed 11, as illustrated in Fig. 2, and the upper edge of the face of the jaw 12 is provided with a wearing plate 39 that is secured in position with screws 4t). The plate 39 is provided with a longitudinally disposed slot 41 into which a ridge 42 on the jaw 12 extends. The wearing plate 39 is positioned in a recess 43 in the upper part of the jaw.

The movable jaw 13 is similar to the jaw 12, and has a wearing plate 44 positioned in a recess 45 by a ridge 46 extended into a slot 47, and the wearing plate 44 is secured in position by screws 48. The movable jaw 13 is also provided with a handle 49.

As illustrated in Fig. 12, the movable jaw 13 is provided with a recess that is positioned to receive the bed plate 11, and a base 51 of the hub 14 is secured to the movable jaw with bolts 52 and 53. The base 51 extends through the slots 37 and 38 between the upper edges of the side walls of the base and the bed 11, and flanges 54 and 55 extending downwardly from the base 51 are positioned to slide in recesses 56 and 57, respectively, in the upper edges of the side walls.

One end of the hub 14, depending from the base 51 is internally threaded with Acme or square left-hand threads to correspond with similar threads 59 on the sleeve 15, and the opposite end of the hub is provided with a cylindrical section 60, in which a flange 61 .on the end of the sleeve, and having spaced driven lugs 62 extending endwise therefrom, is positioned. The locking collar 16 which has spaced driving lugs 63 extending endwise therefrom is also positioned in the cylinder and the locking collar is held in position by a spring ring r 73 which extends into circumferentially aligned interior grooves 74 and '75 in the lugs 62 and 63. 'l' he driven lugs 62 are provided with openings 66 in which releasing pins 69 are mounted, and the openings 66 are provided with counterbores 67 that are positioned to receive interlocking collars 68 of guide pins 69. A groove 65 in the cylinder 60 is adapted to receive a snap ring 9 to Contact flange 61 of sleeve 15 and thus limit the forward movement of the hub 14 during a work-clamping operation. This is a fool proof arrangement so that a person will not be able to continue to turn the operating lever clockwise and separate the two parts, and this arrangement permits a range of travel of the moving jaw that corresponds to about four turns of the operating lever. The guide pins 69 and the interlocking collars 68 are positioned in the locking collar 16 (shown in detail in Figs. 14 and l5) between the driving lugs 63, the pins 69 extending through openings '76 and the interlocking collars 68 being positioned in enlarged openings 71, the openings 70 and 71 having a common axis lying parallel to the axis of shaft 17. The collars 68 are urged toward the counterbores 67 of the lugs 62 by springs 72, the springs retaining the collars 68 in interlocking position as illustrated in Fig. 2u. Since the interlocking collars extend across the meeting end surfaces of the lugs 62 and the collar 16, counterclockwise rotation of the collar correspondingly rotates the threaded sleeve 15. The driving lugs 63 extend from the collar 16 and lie between the lugs 62 which extend from the flange 61 of the threaded sleeve 15, and though the lugs are held against axial separation by the spring ring 73 passing through slots 74 of the lugs 62 and slots 75 of the lugs 63 as previously described, the lugs are so dimensioned that 30 relative rotation is permitted. As shown in Fig. 12, the driving lugs 63 and the driven lugs 62 have assumed the positions that they ordinarily occupy, it being noted that when the shaft 17 is rotated clockwise, as during a clamping operation, its torque is transmitted through the collar 16 to the sleeve 15 by pressure of the driving lugs 63 against the driven lugs 62, whereas when the shaft 17 is rotated counterclockwise, as during an unclamping operation, the lugs can not rotate relative to one another, so long as collars 68 interlock the collar 16 to the sleeve 15 for unitary movement. The means for permitting the lugs 63 to move 30 counterclockwise to the positions shown in Fig. 13, will now be described.

The locking collar 16 is provided with continuous internal splines 76 that always remain in mesh with rows of interrupted splines 77 of the shaft 17, whereas the sleeve 15 is provided with internal rows of interrupted splines 77Awhich ordinarily lie in the axial spaces between the interrupted splines 77, so as to prevent axial movement of the sleeve 15 along the shaft 17, but which can be circumferentially shifted 30 counterclockwise, at which time they lie between the spline rows '77, so as to permit unitary and quick-sliding movement of the jaw 13, the hub 14, the sleeve 15, and the collar 16, along the shaft 17 by manipulation of the handle 49. Since the collar 16 is always rotated by operation of the shaft 17, if the shaft is turned in a counterclockwise direction so that the hub 14 moves toward the ange 61 of the threaded sleeve 15, and if these parts were previously positioned as shown in Fig. 2a, the interlocking collars 68 will cause the threaded sleeve to rotate counterelockwise with the collar 16 and thus draw the end surface of the cylindrical section 60 into contact with the pins 69 and upon continued counterclockwise movement of the shaft 17, the releasing pins 69 will move the interlocking collars 68 out of the counterbores 67, at which time the interlocking collars 68, being flush with the end surface of the locking collar 16 and no longer being connected to the sleeve 15, permit the shaft 17 and the collar 16 to rotate 30 counterclockwise with respect to the sleeve 15, after which no further counterclockwise movement of the handle 18 and the shaft 17 can take take place, because of the earlier abutment of the hub nut 14 against the flange 61 of the sleeve 15. At this time, as previously mentioned, the spline rows 77 of the shaft 17 will lie between the spline rows 77 of the sleeve 15 to permit the aforesaid quick-sliding movement of the jaw assembly. After the jaw 13 has been slid toward the jaw 12 and into contact with a workpiece, it is only necessary to rotate the shaft 17, collar 16 and sleeve 15 clockwise to clamp the material.

In the design shown the sleeve 15 and the locking collar 16 are provided respectively with three of the releasing pins 69 and with a corresponding number of the interlocking collars 68 and the guide pins 69.

The spline shaft 17 is journaled in the base by a socket 78 in the inner end journaled on a stud 79 which is secured, preferably by peening a head 80 of a stem 81 of the stud in an opening 82 in the end wall 31 of the base. The opposite end of the shaft 17 is journaled in the end wall 30 of the base by a bearing bushing 83 that is provided with internal ribs 84 that mesh with splines 85 on the shaft. The splines 85 are interrupted to form a smooth annular area 87 and are then continued at the point S6 as splines 88, so that a locking and thrust collar 89, which has internal ribs 90 forming grooves for the passage of the splines 77 and 88 during assembly of the shaft, can be partially rotated (after assembly of the shaft) around the smooth area 87, so that the ribs 90 will oppose the splines 88 and thus prevent axial movement of the shaft 17 in the base. The thrust collar 89 can then be locked to the shaft 17 by sliding the bearing 83 over the extending left end of the shaft (before mounting the handle 18) so that extended portions of the bearing ribs 84 (see Figure 9) will pass between the internal ribs 90, now aligned with the splines 85 and 88, to prevent relative rotation of the thrust collar 89 with respect to the shaft 17 and the bearing 83, and thus to insure rotation of these elements as a unit whenever the shaft 17 is operated by the handle 18. Axial movement of the bearing 83 is prevented in one direction by the thrust collar 89, and in the opposite direction by the socket 21.

The extended end of the shaft 17 is connected to a hub 91 of the socket 21 by a set screw 92 which extends through the hub 91 and into a bore in the end of the shaft (see Fig. 2). The socket is provided with counterbores for receiving shoulder-forming sections of the plug 19, and the knob 95 on the inner end of the handle 18 is secured in the plug 19 by a pin 96. The pin 96 extends through an opening 97 (see Fig. 1l) in the knob and the surface of the knob is provided with three recesses 98 that are selectively positioned to receive a spring actuated ball 99 in a recessed end of a pin 100 which may be formed from an Allen-head screw and which is positioned in the plug 19 and which extends into a hollow socket 101 in the end of the shaft 17. The ball 99 is resiliently biased outwardly by a spring 102 whereby the handle 18 is yieldably held in any one of three positions as determined by the selected recess 98. The handle 18 and the plug 19 are adapted to be turned about the axis of shaft 17 to any of the six positions shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the handle 17 then being swung about the axis of pin 96 into the corresponding notch 20, whenever it is desired to rotate the shaft 17.

The upper surface of the bed 11 of the vise is provided with a graduated scale 106 that extends from the movable jaw 13, and graduations 107 and 108 may be provided on the surface of the bed to coact with the scale.

In the modification illustrated in Figs. 2l and 22, a

cause a slight forward feeding of the sleeve 112, since the left-hand thread-forming splines 110 on the shaft 109 coact with the thread-forming splines 111 inside the sleeve 112 to start-the movable jaw 13 toward the xed jaw 12.

After this initial forward movement of the sleeve and jaw assembly, the sleeve 112 no longer moves forward on the shaft 109, but rotates clockwise as a unit therewith, while external screw threads 113, like the screw threads 59, feed the hub nut 14 and its attached jaw 13 in a forward or work-clamping direction, so long as the handle 18 is turned in a clockwise direction. To release the clamping action, it is only necessary to turn the lever in a counterclockwise direction, and to release the jaw assembly and the sleeve 112 for quick-sliding movement, the lever must be turned counterclockwise until it stops, the parts then assuming a position corresponding to Fig. 12.

The screw threads 113 on the outer surface of the sleeve 112 are similar to the threads 59, and the head of the sleeve 112 is provided with a flange 114 and lugs 115 which are similar to the lugs 62 and which are provided with .grooves 116 for the locking spring and also counterbored openings 117 for the releasing pins.

With the quick-locking vise of this invention formed as disclosed and described the shaft is rotated by the handle through an angle of 30 degrees in a counterclockwise direction, after the interlocking collars 68 have been released by the pins 69, in order to release the movable jaw from the spline shaft and with the shaft in this position the movable jaw is actuated by the handle 49 whereby it is drawn away from the stationary jaw and then moved back into contact with a workpiece positioned between the jaws. With the jaw 13 positioned against a workpiece the handle 18 is turned in a clockwise direction whereby the jaw 13 is actuated so that the workpiece is positively clamped between the jaws. A very slight movement in a clockwise direction, only, is ordinarily required to positively clamp a workpiece between the jaws, hut the jaw can be advanced, when necessary, a distance corresponding to the distance between the snap ring 9 and the sleeve flange 61 (see Fig. 2).V

From the foregoing it is apparent that a quick acting vise has been provided wherein the jaw can be shifted quickly and readily to any chosen position and then clamped against a workpiece by simply turning the operating lever clockwise to any selected tension of the vise jaws against the material. To release the jaw to sliding position, it is only necessary to turn the operating lever counterclockwise until the operating lever stops so that the jaw is then in sliding or neutral position.

The interlocking collars 68 and guide pins 69 are for one purpose only and that is to hold the driving and driven lugs of the collar 16 and the sleeve 15 (or 112) for counterclockwise unitary movement until the sleeve lange 61 abuts the confronting end surface of the sliding nut 14. When the operating lever has reached its Stop position (having been turned counterclockwise), the sliding jaw can be quickly moved by the handle 49 to any selected position.

The interlocking collars 68 serve only to turn the threaded sleeve counterclockwise, since the driving lugs 63 on the end of the locking collar 16, by direct pressure against the driven lugs 62 on the confronting end of the threaded sleeve 15, serve to rotate this sleeve clockwise upon movement of the operating handle 18 in a clockwise direction, and thus to axially advance the hub nut 14 shown in Figs. l9 and 20, and its attached jaw 13, during a clamping operation. Although the drawings illustrate a drill press vise, it is to be understood that the present invention also covers bench type vises.

What is claimed is:

1. A quick set vise comprising a base having a bed plate on the upper surface and having a stationary jaw at one end of said bed plate, a movable jaw slidably mounted on said bed plate, a spline shaft journaled in the base, means actuating the movable jaw by the spline shaft, means releasing the movable jaw from the spline shaft whereby the movable jaw is free to slide longitudinally `on said base plate, means for rotating said spline shaft, and means locking said spline shaft against axial movement in said base.

2. A quick set vise comprising a base having a bed plate on the upper surface and having a stationary jaw at one end of said bed plate, a movable jaw slidably mounted on said bed plate, a spline shaft journaled in the base, means actuating the movable jaw by the spline shaft, means releasing the movable jaw from the spline shaft whereby the movable Jiaw is free to slide longitudinally on said base plate, said spline shaft having an end extended from one end of the base, a socket mounted on the end of the shaft extended from the base, said socket having a plurality of radially disposed notches therein, and a handle pivotally mounted in the socket and engageable with any selected notch, for rotating the shaft.

3. A quick set vise comprising a base having a bed plate on the upper surface and having a stationary jaw at one end of said bed plate, a movable jaw slidably mounted on Said bed plate, a spline shaft journaled in the base, means actuating the movable jaw by the spline shaft, means releasing the movable jaw from the spline shaft whereby the movable jaw is free to slide longitudinally on said base plate, Said spline shaft having an end extended from one end of the base, a socket mounted on the end of the shaft extended from the base, said socket having radially disposed notches therein, a plug rotatably mounted in said socket, and a handle pivotally mounted in the plug and engageaole with any selected notch for rotating the shaft.

4. In a quick set vise, the combination which comprises a base, ay bed plate having a stationary jaw at one end positioned on the upper end of the base, said base having side walls with slots in the upper edges, a movable jaw slidably mounted on the bed plate and having an internally threaded hub positioned in the base and connected thereto through the slots in the side walls of the base, a spline shaft journaled in the base and extended through said hub, a threaded sleeve positioned in the hub and mounted on the shaft, and releasing means connecting the threaded sleeve to the shaft.

5. 1n a quick set vise, the combination which com- CP U prises a base, a bed plate having a stationary jaw at one end positioned on the upper end of the base, said base having spaced apart side walls with slots in the upper edges, a movable jaw slidably mounted on the bed plate and having an internally threaded hub positioned in the base and connected thereto through the slots in the side walls of the base, a spline shaft journaled in the base and eX- tended through said hub, a threaded sleeve positioned in the hub and mounted on the shaft, releasing means connecting the threaded sleeve to the shaft, and means for manually rotating the splined shaft.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 83,045 Crumpton Oct. 1.3, 1868 1,150,042 Kuhn Aug. 17, 1915 1,280,7ll Clave Oct. 8, 1918 1,375,236 Skinder Apr. 19, 1921 FOREIGN PATENTS 17,469 Great Britain Aug. 20, 1908 418,391 Great Britain Oct. 24, 1934 

